Ore stamp-mill



.1; w. VANMETER.

ORE STAMP MILL.

- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1919.

1,353,097. PatentedSept. 14,1920.

7 6 SHEETS- SHEET 2. a. o

IN V EN TOR ATTORNEYS J. W. VANMETER.

ORE STAMP MILL.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 5. I919.

Patentedsebt. 14,1920.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5- IN VEN TOR J. 'w. VANMETER.

1,353 097.- PatentedSept.14,-1920.

, e SHEETS-SHEET s.

unrrso STATES JAMES w. VANMETER, OF'SAN Francisco, antenna.

can STAMP-MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 5, 1919. Serial No. 335,902.

To all QU/LOWZ if; may concern Be it known that I J AMES W. VANMETER a citizen of the United States, residing at the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ore Stamp-Mills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of orestamp mills in which the material is carried by a' mortar and is crushed by receiving a violent blow, the resultant pulp being thus rendered favorable for the amalgamation of its precious particles with the quicksilver in the mortar, and reduced to a condition, under the influence of repeated blows, to pass away from the mortar through its screen, to be delivered to the collecting tables. 1

Incommon practice in this type of stamp mill the mortar is stationary and the crushing blows are delivered by dropping heavy stamps upon the material in the mortar. have found, however,that by reversing this practice,so that the stamp is stationary and the mortar reciprocative, a mill of this general class may be produced having many constructive advantages in point of economy in manufacture, weight in transportation, and capacity in operation, the last named advantage being due chiefly to a better amalgamation owing to the more complete crushing effect of the entire mass bodily thrown or carried 0r impacted against the stamp by the moving mortar; and the more positive projection ofthe pulp against the mortar screens, and the consequent continuous cleansing effect of the splashedwater tending to keep the screen mesh open, thereby increasing the delivery capacity of the mill.

Furthermore, in connection with this reversal of movement of the crushing members, it is practicable to arrange for the swinging outward from the frame, of all the operative parts of the mill to afford convenient access to them whenever necessary; and lastly, it is not only practicable, but decidedly advantageous to so construct the re ciprocative mortar as to embody in itself the prime-mover by which its reciprocation and functional blow are effected.

The object of my invention is, therefore, to realize in an ore-stamp-mill of what may be termed the mortar and stamp type, these 7 and other advantages, which I shall here bore of the sleeve Fig.6.

' inafter describe and" demonstrate more in detail; and to th s end my invention 0011- sists' in the novelo're-stamp-mill which I- shall nou fully describepby reference to the accompanying drawings, in which F lgure l is'a front elevationof my orestamp-milL. V

I F 2 is a side-section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical side sectional view of themill.

Fig. 4f is a sectional view of the fuel-feed pump. e

Fig. 5 is a vertical front section oft-he mill.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the mill showing the mortar turned out fromjthe frame.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal cross section taken at the base of the frame, showing said base in plan. I

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the mill.

The frame comprises a base 1, a column 2 and an'overhung top 3; Bolts t through the base anchor the frame. arcuate in' cross section as seen in Fig. 7.

Through the overhang of the top 8 pass the vertical guides 5 one on each side. These extend down to and freely enter the base 1, as seen in Fig. 5. 6 is the mortar. It is mounted, for vertical reciprocative movement, upon the guides 5, and rests normally upon cushions or bumpers '7 in the base 1.

8 is a fixed stamp. It shoulders under the frame top 3 as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 5, and is suspended therefrom by means of a sleeve 9 to which it is-secured, as, for example, screwing The sleeve 9 passes through the top 3 and is headed thereon. Thus the stamp S is rigidly fixed, but may be readily disconnected from the frame by unscrewing the suspending sleeve 9. The sleeve 9 has an axial'bore 9 and the fixed stamp has an axial boreS alined with the To the stamp is fitted the die 10 with a bore 10, and to the upper end of the sleeve 9 is. fitted the feed hopper 11. V v

The ore is supplied to the mortar 6 from the hopper 11, by passing down through the bores 9,8 and 10'.

The mortar 6 is fitted, with an annular shoe 12 and with a liner 13. The liner is held in position by means of the bevel or wedge shape of the shoe 12, as shown at 15. Fitted to the mortar above the liner is the screen 17. Outside of the screenthe mortar is chambered at 18, said chamber having he column 2 is Patented Sept. 14., 1920. V

bottom inclinin to one sine as indicated b I the dotted line 1n Flg. .5, and openlng lnto a discharge passage 19 made in the mortar and leading down to and through its lower end to the space thereunder, which said space communicates with an outlet 29 1n the base 1, Figs. 3 and 7.

Fitted to the mortar at 21, and hanging down within the upper portion of the space between the screen 17 and the stamp '8 is a the further ileand the ore it carries thus violently brought .mto contact with the fixed stamp 8.

The splash is thrown upwardly into the space around the stamp, and meeting the overlying funnel guard 22 is directed substantially at right angles outwardly against the screen 17. Such splash as may pass the guard 22 1S arrested by the inverted guard 23 and thereby prevented from issuing above to the detriment 01" the sliding surfa es of the mortar on its guides 5. The pulp passes through the screen 17 into the surrouiuling chamber 18 and thence, falling through the passage 19, is delivered by the outlet 9/0 in the base.

To obtain access to the interior of the mill, the suspendin sleeve 9 is unscrewed from the stamp 8, which thereupon drops into the mortar. Then one of the vertical guides 5 is withdrawn from the mortar, and the latter, containing the stamp, is turned about the other guide 5 as an axis, to a position away from and clear of the frame column 2 and overhanging top 3, and in this position is supported by inserting a pin 5 through the mortar into a socket 5 in the guide as shown in Fig. 5.

The means for operating the mortar will now be described, reference bein'emade par ticularly to Figs. 3 and The mortar from its bottom upwardly to within a short distance of the base its shoe 12 is chambered out at to form what is in effect the cylinder of an explosive eugine, and in the mortar about this cylinder,

top and sides, is a chamber 26 of a water cooling system, of which 9.7 and 28 are the inlet and outlet respectively.

Resting upon but otherwise free ot the frame base 1 is a piston 29 which lits within the mortar cylinder 25. The space between the top of the piston and the upper end 5 .J the mortar cylinoer constitutes the explosion which is t or combustion chamber 25, associated with he spark plug 30 of the ignition. system, slid plug being seated in a lateral openingfil in the mortar, and having the circuit wires 32, extending to the operating switch presently to be described.-

The piston 29 has formed in its axis valve chamber 33, the ends of which closed by screw plugs 33. 7

Within the chamber is mounted for longitudinal ii'iovement a piston valve 34 ha ig th' e packed heads 35' separated by intervening necks 36.

Leading through the lower portion oi the side of the piston, into the val ve chamber below the lower head of the piston 34 is an air passage 3'7, Fig. 8. Leading later ally into the piston and thence iupwardly I into its wall is a second air passage 38 which leadsin the valve-chamber aboveithe upper head the piston 34, Fig. 3.

Connected with the" passage 37 is a hose 39, and connected with the passage is; a hose 40.

The control of the air through hose 39 and passage 3'? is as follows z seated in the base its seat and cuts oh the rominuiiica'tion. The

valve 43 has a stem 44-, which projects upwardly through the top oi the shell-aim adapted to be struck by the descending mortar, which has the effect depres'sihg the valve and opei'iing the air connection to the hose 39.

T he Pontrol of the air through the hose 40' go 38 1S follows :Let into the and pa ,7 upper portion oi vertical bore 45 Fi in the base of the mortar is a freely slidabl'e weight 46, the upper-movement of which is limited by a bumper 47. In the lower portion o'i 'tli.e bore 453s titted a plug 48. A connection 49 with source of compressed air, not shown, passes upwardly through the plug 48 and opens into the bore between the top of the plug and the bottom 05 the weight 46. In the top of the plug is formed a port 50 from which leadsa passa e 51 to the hose 40. A. valvefib controls the port 50. This valve has a stem 53 projectin; u iwardly freely through the weight 4Gandis providedwith a collar 54 on its top, and said valve has also a stern :rtenduig freely downwardly through the plug, and projecting not shown; This passage leads through the wall of the piston 29 and enters the valvechamber 33 through the port 58. a

59 is another port in said valve chamber with which an air passage 60 communicates, said passage leading upwardly through the piston 29 into the combustion chamber 25.

61 is an outlet passage for the products of 39 from the outlet 42 of the valve shell 41,

This passage 65 is controlled interiorly by a downwardly opening valve 67, suspended by a collar 68 on top of its stem 69.

The shell 63 at its lower end has a passage 70 to the chamber 64 which is connected by apipe 71 with the fuel inlet passage 62 in the piston 29. This passage 70 is controlled by a valve 72 opening downwardly, but normally closed by a spring 73.

The leg of the shell 63 has a passage 74 to the chamber Get, which connects with a suitable source of liquid fuel (not shown) under pressure. The passage 7 4 is controlled by an inwardly opening valve 75, held to its seat by a spring! 6.

The piston 29 is provided with water cooling passages 77 (Fig. 5) connected at their top by a passage 78 (Fig. 3). These passages are connected with the inlet 27 of the water chamber 26 in the mortar 6, by a flexible hose 79, and the water system discharges through an outlet 80 from the piston passages.

In Fig. 2, 81 is a contact spring of the ignition system, and 82 is the other contact, the

former being secured to the frame column 2 and suitably insulated, and the latter being carried by the mortar 6.

83, Fig. 5 is a set screw adapted to be-in-- serted through a hole in the mortar and to engage the piston 29 when said piston is to be locked to the mortar preparatory to turning'the mortar outwardly as hereto fore mentioned whereby said piston is prcvented from dropping out after it is re versed by the swinging-mortar from the sup port on the frame base.

The operation of my ore-stampmill is follows:

The ore and the necessary water are sup plied to the hopper 11, and thence pass down through bores of the sleeve 9, fixed stamp 8 and its die 10 into the mortar 6.

Compressed air from a suitable source is admitted to the inlet .2 of the valve shell 41 also to the inlet connection 41.9 of the plug 48 in the bottom of the mortar; and also to her 25.

the air passage 57 in the piston 29, with the following efl'ects, namely:The air to the inlet 42 passes the valve 4:3 and out through outlet 42 and hose 39 into the air passage 37 in the piston 29, and entering the valve chamber 33 under the lower head of the piston-valve 34;, forces said valve up. w This movement of the piston-valve 34:, connects the air passages 57 and 60 through the ports 58 and 59, so that the air admitted 'to the passage 57 now enters the combustion chamair from the outlet 42 of the valve-shell .41, passes through the branch pipe66 from the hose 39' and enters the upper passage65 of the fuel-injector shell 63. the valve 67 enters the chamber 64: of said shell 63, and forces the charge of liquid fuel which had entered said chamber through the fuel side passage 74, out of said chamber, through the valved lower passage 70, and

pipe 71 into the fuel passage 62 in the piston 29, from which passage the fuel is delivered into the combustion chamber25, wherein it mixes with the air delivered through the passage 60. The pressure of this air admitted through passage 60 to the combustion chamber 25 causes the mortar 6 :to rise on its guides 5, and this initial movement of the mortar closes the ignltion circuit at the contacts 81 and 82, whereby by means of the spark plug 30, the explosive mixture in the combustion chamber is fired, thereby driving the mortar 6 upward with a heavy blow, and crushing its contents against the die 10 of the fixed stamp 8.

This blow causes the weight 46 in the bore 455 of the mortar to rise thereby through the collar 54 of the upper stem 53, lifting'the valve 52 and expos ng the port 50 to the passage of the compressed air which had ini tially been admitted to the inlet connection 49 of the plug 48. This air now passes out through passage 51 in the plug 48' and through the hose 40 and passage 38 in the piston 29, and enters the valve chamber 33 above the upper head of the piston valve 29.

The piston valve 29, is thus forced down, and

the burnt gases exhaust through the passage 61. The mortar drops and by the contact of the valve stems and 4'14: with the base 1 and mortar 6 respectively, the initial positions are restored for repetition of "the operation.

V hen it is desired to swing the operative,

parts of the mill outwardly from the frame as heretofore mentioned, the set screw 83 is inserted to lock the piston 29 .to the mortar. Then compressed air is admitted to At the same time the compressed This air passing what may be considered an explosive engine as the primemover of my stamp-mill, I

have done so merely to disclose an operative device, but it'is not my intention herein to claim such details, per 80 as they pertain more properly to the class of internal combustion engines. It is my intention, however, herein to claim such general features of the prime-mover "as may legitimately enter into combination with and form an i-nti mate part of the mill proper, by reason of their positional relation thereto, resulting in advantages'which I shall now set forth.

By making the engine bore or cylinder 25 directly in the mortar, I am enabled to get an evenly distributed blow close to the orecrushing impact surfaces of mortar and stamp, thus avoiding undue strain on the guides 5, which prolongs the life of the mill.

I also dispense with many otherwise necessary pipes, rods and other connections, liable to work loose and requiring expense in construction and maintenance.

Also by having the engine below I avoid any oil getting into the mortar, the presence of which is detrimental to the treatment of ores which are being amalgamated.

Another advantage of having the engine practically a part of the mortar is that the heat developed by the engine is transmitted to the amalgamating minerals within the mortar, which aids in the process of amalgamation, and at the same time, this heat lessens the liability of breakage of the mortar from the jar.

The piston can be removed from the mortar bore easily, when the mortar is swung outward. This movement of the mortar is practicable by reason of the engine structure forming a part of it, so that all interior parts of the mortar may be reached, and the amalgam removed.

By casting the chamber 18 in the mortar outside the screen, no material or slush can be thrown out on the engine parts.

I claim:

1. An ore stamp mill comprising a frame; guides fitted to the frame; a mortar fitted upon said guides for reciprocative movement, and adapted'by the removal of one of said guides to be turned outwardly from the frame upon the other of said guides as an axis; a fixed stamp carried by the frame;

and means for reciprocating the mortar to crush the ,ore against the stamp.

2. An ore-stamp-mill comprising a frame; a mortar mounted in the frame for reciprocative movement; a pivotal connection between the mortar and frame adapting the mortar to be turned outward from the frame; a stamp detachably carried by the frame and adapted to be lowered into the mortar to be turned outwardly therewith; and means for reciprocating the mortar to crush the ore against the stamp when the latter is secured to the frame. 7 e

8. An ore-stamp-mill comprising a frame; guides fitted to the frame; a mortar fitted upon said guides for reciprocative movement and adapted by the removal of one of said guides to be turned outwardly from the frame, upon the other of said guides asan axis; a stamp detachably carried by the frame and adapted to be lowered into the mortar to be turned outwardly therewith; and means for reciprocating the 'mortar to crush the ore against the stamp when the latter is secured to the frame.

4. An ore-stamp mill comprising a frame composed of a base, a column at one side and an overhung top surmounting the column; a pair of vertical guides fitted through the overhung top .and passing down into the base beyond the sides of the column; a fixed stamp fitted under the frame top and remcvably suspended therefrom; a mortar tted upon the guides for vertically reciprocative movement .and adapted upon the removal of one of said guides to be turned outwardly from the frame upon the other guide; and means for reciprocating the mortar to crush the ore against the stamp.

5. An ore-stamp-mill comprising a frame composed of a base, a column and a top; a pair of vertical guides fitted into the top and base of the frame; a suspending memher through the frame top; a stamp removably suspended by said member and abutting under the frame top; a mortar fitted upon the guides for vertical reciprocative movement and adapted upon the removal of one of said guides to be turned outwardly from the frame upon the other guide; and means for reciprocating the mortar to crush the ore against the stamp.

6. An orestamp mill comprising a frame composed of a base, a column and a top; a pair of vertical guides fitted into the top. and base of the frame; a longitudinally bored suspending member fitted through the frame top; a longitudinally bored stamp removably suspended by said member and abutting under the frame top; a feed hopper carried by said member and adapted to supply the ore therethrough and through the bored stamp; a mortar fitted upon the guides for vertical reciprocative movement and adapted upon the removal of one of said guides to be turned outwardly from v the frame upon the other guide; and means for reciprocating the mortar to crush the ore against the stamp.

7. An ore-stampmill comprising a frame; a fixed stamp carried thereby; a mortar mounted in the frame for vertical reciprocative movement to crush the ore against the stamp; a screen carried by the mortar and spaced from the stamp; said mortar having a closed chamber outside the screen with a discharge passage leading from the chamber and down through the mortar; and means for reciprocating the mortar.

8. An ore-stamp mill comprising a frame; a fixed stamp carried thereby; a mortar mounted in the frame for vertical reciprocative movement to crush the ore against the stamp; a screen carried by the mortar and spaced from the stamp; a funnel shaped guard member carried by the mortar and lying in the top of the space between the screen and stamp adapted to direct the splashed pulp against the screen; and means for reciprocating the mortar.

9. An ore-stamp-mill comprising a frame; vertical guides in the frame; a fixed stamp carried by the frame; a mortar mounted on the frame guides for vertical reciprocative movement to crush the ore against the stamp; a screen carried by the mortar and spaced from the stamp said mortar having a chamber outside the screen and a discharge passage from said chamber; a funnel shaped guard member carried by the mortar and lying in the top of the space between the screen and stamp adapted to direct the splashed pulp against the screen; an inverted funnel guard carried by the mortar and lying above the first named guard to protect the sliding surfaces of the mortar from the splash; and means for reciprocating the mortar.

10. An ore stamp mill comprising a frame; a fixed stamp carried by the frame; a mortar mounted in the frame for reciprocative movement to crush the oreagainst the stamp, said mortar having a bore leading upwardly from its bottom and closed at its upper end; a piston carried by the frame and fitting the base bore of the mortar; and means for supplying an expansive fluid medium to the space between the top of the bore and'the top of the piston to drive the mortar upwardly. 1

11. An ore stamp mill comprising a frame; a mortar mounted in the frame for vertical reciprocative movement; a pivotal connection between the frame and the mortar adapting said mortar to be swung outward from the frame; a stationary stamp detachably connected with the frame and adapted to be lowered into the mortar when the latter is turned outward, said mortar having a bore leading upwardly from its bottom and closed at its upper end; a piston fitting in the mortar bore and resting freely on the frame whereby said piston accompanies the mortar when turned outward; and means for supplying an expansive fluid medium to the space between the top of the bore and the top of the piston, to drive the mortar upward.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES W. VANMETER. Witnesses WILLIAM F. Boo'rH, J r.

D. B. RICHARDS. 

